Fortescue robot trucks (WA)

Bring into play the increasing world population and I think that puts a different spin on the whole job/occupation equation.

Also heard on the radio a week or so ago only 51% of Australians work now , hmmmmmmmmmmm that cant be good I dont think
I wonder what percentage worked in 80's 70's 60's and so on

Paul

This problem is not limited to Australia.. We have the same here in the States.. Even though Trump is attempting to slow down corporate moves offshore, only time will tell if it works.
WalMart closed its two 20 item or less check out lanes and installed 6 "Self Check' registers. Now they have 2 people in the self check area to assist and teach the people how to use them, and another at the door to check your receipt and stop the shoplifting. I am not sure what they gained???

Here is some personal experience of the impacts it's been 4 years since I had regular full-time work (although I pick up bits and pieces up to a couple of months at a time- often repeat business which means the employer/customer is happy)

Being over 50 and having a slight disability Centrelink say I am doing well as statistically I shouldn't be getting interviews or work at all! Despite this they have me on the lowest level of assistance (the money they give the Job Service Provider to look after you) as I have a history of finding my own work. The issue there is because of the low level of funding (including bonuses they receive for landing me work) they do the bare minimum paperwork required - leaving the going out to actually market people to the more financially lucrative clients! They can't see that if they can show employers they have a pool of talented people they will get more employers contacting them directly rather than competing with other providers

When I was in Melbourne I had 6 to 8 IT Recruiters who would ring me regularly, even if I didn't fit the role 100% as I interviewed well and gave the client a favourable impression of their company. Those same people are contacting me if they hear of work near Echuca and ringing me now. I even spoke to them about moving back to Melbourne temporarily for some contract work. Their reply was they are having trouble placing candidates who are over 50 as the IT industry wants younger staff and also wants specialists in very tight areas (eg in truck terms if you drive a Mack, you can't drive a Kenworth or your not a specialist.) and my experience is now considered 'too broad'. Yet once I get into a company they are amazed how I can use my broad experience to produce better results than others!

There is some truth to what the agencies say. I have a friend working in IT in Melbourne who is a few weeks older than me. He has been trying to move to a new company as he is not happy where he is. He keeps getting knocked back for younger, less experienced candidates as the companies want the young successful image.


At the same time the skills I have, along with other friends in the IT industry who are genuinely well above average at their job, are in such short supply they are bringing in people on 457 Visas to fill the gap. Half these local people can't get work, no matter what age they are!

How are we meant to work until 70 if people won't hire locals, particularly those over 50?

Recruit 12 yo boys, with years of Xbox experience.

Roderick

Defence Cooperative Research Centre to investigate drones, robots, automated vehicles.
Herald Sun July 6, 2017.
DRONES, automated vehicles and robots to help Australian soldiers fight the wars of the future will be investigated by a new $50 million research fund.
The Defence Cooperative Research Centre, to be unveil­ed today by the Turnbull Government, will use Australia’s world-leading automated technology in mining and manufacturing to help create futuristic military tools.
The Australian Defence Force has already successfully used robotics in foreign war zones, such as an unmanned Boeing aircraft that flew 6200 missions in Afghanistan.
The centre will probe technology including long-range drones for ocean surveillance and driverless vehicles to evacuate casualties and deliver supplies to the battlefield.
Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne during a visit to Puckapunyal Military Area. Picture: Jason Edwards.
“Existing autonomous and robotic systems that operate in the manufacturing and mining sector are effective in controlled environments, but not suitable for the uncertain situa­tions in which Defence oper­ates,” Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said.
“Defence needs autonomous systems to be highly trusted, robust and resilient, and this initiative will bring ­together the best researchers from industry and universities to develop the intell­igent military platforms of the future.”
The centre will ­receive $8 million a year to a maximum of $50 million over seven years.
It will be chaired by University of South Australia Chancellor Jim McDowell, who has worked for multinational defence companies and advised the government on its submarine project.
Mr Pyne said further cooperative research centres would be set up to drive innovative improvements in the Defence Force.
It comes as the government invests heavily in new technology to protect and assist Australia’s soldiers, with $300 million of hi-tech equipment announced this week to deal with the threat of chemical weapons.
Troops will have access to detectors, suits and masks in the event of biological, radiological and or even nuclear attacks. The government will also purchase new decontamination systems, protection tents and warning software to be used in overseas war zones.
< www.heraldsun.com.au/news/defence-cooper...4aed696cb4e34d7e6f6d >

Yep,pretty right.When I was employed,the company was sold,and the new manager wanted to replace the "greyhairs" as he considered it gave the business a bad image.It didnt worry me,cause I was sick of it,and wanted to go anyway.But not without a redundancy payment.But without me they couldnt keep all the old crap running,and had to get into serviced leasing.Megacostly.Then they put off the old foreman,the whole place imploded,cause all the smarties who thought they could be foreman couldnt handle it.I went to the auction when it was closed,the cranes went for peanuts.Didnt go broke ,cause the owners simply redeveloped the site.Forty laborers out of work,most couldnt read or write.Products of the education system.

Even with these "robot trucks" they still need someone to fix them and service them when the break down which should meen tradesmen, especially experienced ones would be right, right? Wrong, these days the mining companies want tradesmen with 20 years of experience but no wear and tear on their bodies, the medicals that you are put through are more like what you would go through to get into the SAS and then you get some smarmy 20 year old straight out of university with a degree in HR or OHS effectively telling you that mining is a young mans game, then only to read in the papers that mining companies cant find enough experienced workers so they have to import 457s.

Servicing doesnt take much these days.All repairs are done offsite with only major component swapovers on site.The bits are shipped to cheap labour countries for rebuild.Generally they dont run to breakdown,and replace the unit while its still mobile.Funny story....we used to get the big bulk grease containers for blasting and painting.One lot had the top covers left open,the blasters didnt care,so I just put the tops back,cause we didnt get paid for stuffups. Steel grit is very destructive,wonder how much damage that little lot did.

Not sure what mine sites youve been involved with John but that certainly isnt the case in underground mining in WA